Smartphone addiction on the rise with one in ten now reliant on their handset
One in ten people have claimed they are now addicted to their smartphone.
A study of 2,000 US college students revealed that 10 per cent would say that have a full-blown addiction to their handsets, with 85 per cent compulsively checking theirs and three quarters needing to sleep beside it.
Across the pond in the UK more owners are beginning to seek professional help for their smartphone attachment. Counsellor Peter Smith told The Sun that there has been a 10 per cent increase in those seeking therapy for their smartphone habit at his clinic in Weston-Super-Mare.
Smith claimed that though "smartphone user feel they've got more control…ironically, it's that sense of control that creates anxiety".
Young people are particularly susceptible to smartphone addiction as they become "more reliant on maintaining" contacts which can lead to bullying.
Smith explained that smartphone users often "lose track of time" and become "socially isolated and before they know it, can't stop".
He relates the symptoms of smartphone addiction to those of alcoholism, gambling, food or drugs as "not having your phone raises your heart rate and signs of panic".